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WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL

Most Australians (83%) were satisfied with their waste collection services in 2011–12. Australians living in capital cities were more likely to be satisfied with their waste collection services (86%) compared with those living outside of capital city areas (78%). Of those who were not satisfied with their current waste collection service, 46% had inadequate or non-existent services for disposal of waste materials such as green waste or hard rubbish. (Tables 15 and 16)

Australians' waste management activities varied depending on where they lived. Three quarters of Australians stated they always sort their recyclable waste from their non-recyclable waste, ranging from 81% of people living in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, to 46% of people living in the Northern Territory. People living in capital cities were more likely to always sort their recyclable waste from their non-recyclable waste (78%) than people living outside of capital city areas (69%). (Table 17 and Graph 8)

Over a third of Australians (35%) always compost or recycle garden waste. Among the states and territories, South Australian residents (54%) were the most likely to always compost or recycle garden waste, while Western Australian residents were the least likely (21%). (Table 17 and Graph 8)

Around 19% of Australians rarely or never reuse bags when doing the grocery shopping. In South Australia, where a ban on plastic bags was in place prior to the survey period, 76% of people always reuse bags when doing the grocery shopping. In the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory where plastic bags were banned during the survey period, 63% and 58% of people respectively always reuse bags when doing the grocery shopping. (Table 17 and Graph 8)

An estimated 5.1 million Australians always compost or recycle kitchen or food waste, with people living in South Australia (37%), Tasmania (37%) and the Australian Capital Territory (36%) the most likely to do so. Of Australians living outside of capital city areas, 37% always compost or recycle kitchen or food waste compared with 26% of Australians living in capital cities. (Table 17)